What is a Train Chaser?

Random person:  "Oh you're a photographer?  What do you specialize in?"
Me: "I'm a train chaser."
Random person: "Uh?"

It has occurred to me that most normal people have no concept of what a train chaser is.  I guess that mean's I'm not a normal person.  Over the years I've had to explain more then once what it is I actually do.  Since I've decided to create a blog on the events that occur on these chases, I might as well explain once and for all what it is a train chaser does.  It's a very simple idea and you can apply it to many things like storm chasing, or in a morbid way ambulance chasing.  Train chasing is exactly what it says: we chase a train.  For those who need more details I'll break it down for you.

First the crew that I travel with (I'll get into more details about them later) locate a train that interests us, it can be a tourist train located in Colorado or maybe a coal train crossing borders.  Once we've settled on a train, we study maps of the area finding the best routes to take 1) to get to the train and 2) locate areas near the tracks that will provide the best shots.  We also check weather forecasts, and sun positions.  I bet I can guess what you're thinking: sun positions? What does that have to do with anything.  For the best shot and video the sun needs to be on the nose of the train and we need to be on the sunny side.  In some cases the sun will be on the wrong side of the tracks or even worse behind the train.  You see the shady part of the train turns the photo dark and loses details.  Once we've cleared the weather, researched routes and sun positions it's time to load up the car with our gear.  We are armed with cameras, lenses, lens cleaners, tri-pods, video equipment, sound equipment...the list goes on.  It's time to hit the open road and it usually here where odd things occur, making the trip memorable.  On a normal train chase we follow it from the station to it's destination and back again.  We follow the roads that run parallel with the tracks and sometimes even pace the train.  It's basically a hurry up and wait game, we fly past the train to get in front of it to a crossing.  Then we hop out take photos or video as the train passes us by.  We jump back in the car and repeat the process.  (I told you we weren't normal.)    

The best part of train chasing is riding together with the crew.  Depending on the day there will be anywhere from 4-7 people in the car.  Sometimes there is eight and we are forced to split into two cars but we usually try to avoid that.  Now picture this 7 people in one car flying down a dirt road next to a train.  They pull in front of the train stoping at a crossing just up the road, dirt is flying and these 7 people scramble out of the car and rush towards the rail road crossing.  I guarantee it is something you wouldn't forget and I am proud to say we've made a mark on several unsuspecting passengers.

Despite what you may think, there are millions of train chasers all over the world.  You would be surprised at how many people are fascinated with these iron giants.  Sometimes trains are so popular that there will be hundreds of cars chasing it from city to city.  We're all volleying for the best shot and competition can be fierce.  Cars get in the video blocking the train or people stand in our way as we try and take a photo of the train coming down the tracks.  It doesn't matter how many times you've chased a train, nothing ever is the same.  So stick around and prepare to hear some outrageous stories as I take you with on some of our journeys.